While the huge dog sniffed the dead one and moved it a little with the snout, the three smaller ones growled and barked at Faela.

While one remained before her, the other two went her sides. The big one remained over the dead one’s body.

If that one’s gonna just watch for now, then there’s no problem, Tetsuko projected her thoughts to her wielder.

“Talk for yourself,” whispered the swordswoman, taking a step back to keep all the animals within her sight.

When the huge monster let out a howl of pain so loud it drowned the bells, the dog on the swordswoman’s left leapt, his fangs aimed at her neck. At the same time, the animal on the right charged low, aiming to tear off the woman’s leg.

Working together, huh? They’re more intelligent than they seem.

“Glad you’re relaxed and all, but pay attention!” Faela snapped as the animals got closer.

Please, that boy said their skin was tough as steel but it’s more like a brittle metal. Took weak for my edge, the soul in the sword thought.

“You say that, but you couldn’t pierce the other one all the way!” She swung Tetsuko at the dog coming for her leg and punched the other under the jaw.

Your attack was too shallow.

Faela snorted as the sword hit the animal.

Tetsuko’s edge broke the dog’s skin and pierced the flesh. However, once again she didn’t go all the way through for a clean cut.

At the same time, the swordswoman’s fist slammed against the other dog’s jaw, the fangs cutting his own tongue. Though it wasn’t enough to stop the animal, it was enough to make it fall on the ground.

Faela had no time to end the animal’s life though. The third dog, the one at the center, leapt forward the instant she took her eyes off him.

The swordswoman tried to swing Tetsuko at him, but Tetsuko didn’t move. When she glanced down, she realized dog she had cut wasn’t dead. Though the wound was mortal, the animal still had enough strength to bite the blade and get in Faela’s way.

Damn it! I was careless!

“Yeah, you were!” Faela shouted as she drew a small blade from the inside of her clothes.

She drove the weapon on his neck but the animal’s momentum didn’t stop. He was still baring his fangs at Fael’s neck. However, when the blade vibrated and exploded, taking his head with it, he fell on the ground, twitching until he stopped moving altogether.

One of the weapons Balthasar and I made, Tetsuko realized as she sensed the living metal in the shards scattered on the ground and in the animal. Why didn’t you tell me you had that weapon?

“What? Are you jealous?” Faela mocked as she finished the dying dog and then stabbed the one she had punched. “Why couldn’t you sense it?”

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Tetsuko clicked her tongue in her mind. You’re so different from your brother.

Before she could reply, the huge dog howled again. Just like the others, it was of pain, and it was so loud Faela had to cover her ears. Even so, it still shook her from the inside. She was the only one who managed to resist though. Most of the soldiers behind her who were still alive but could only watch the fight so far fainted.

There was nothing strange on it… They fainted because of the sound alone, Tetsuko realized. She also noticed something else; the howl was just like the first one. This dog mourns the death of the others. Ah, she’s their mother…

As the howl stopped and Faela brought her sword towards the animal, Tetsuko focused on the blood still dripping on her metal body.

It’s faint but I can feel traces of that ancient and evil Celeste… It’s not exactly the same as Alonso though… There’s something different…

Tetsuko had no time to analyze it though. The mother charged at them.

Faela got out of the way just in time. Some of the soldiers were just recovering their consciousness and weren’t so lucky.

With the paw alone, the dog crushed the soldier’s chest. Despite wearing a full plate, it didn’t stop his torso from being reduced to a lump of meat, metal, and bones.

It’s not only the size. That one is much more powerful than the others.

“Yeah, I can see that.”

When the mother turned to Faela, the thick tail trailed behind her, leaving a long and deep mark on the stone walls of the buildings and destroying the ones made of wood. Without wasting a second, she charged towards the swordswoman again.

Instead of dodging, Faela ran. Just as when the dog’s jaw was about to snap close on where her head would be, she dove legs first, going under the animal. As she slid beneath the monster, she thrust Tetsuko at the huge belly.

The soul in the sword was already flowing her energy. Even so, her tip barely grazed the animal’s skin.

“Damn it, Tetsuko! How dull are you?” Faela complained.

I’ve underestimated her, she thought. Before she could fold her energy, the animal brought the tail down at the swordswoman. Look out!

Faela reacted just in time. As her momentum ended, the thick tail came crashing down on her. She blocked with her sword, her arms, trembling under the tremendous strength.

The instant the tail went up for another attack, Faela rolled out of the way. The blow crunched the stones where she was moments ago.

I’m not a shield, Tetsuko complained.

“Then what are you?” Faela shouted. “Because you can’t be a sword. Right now, you’re as sharp as a butter knife!”

Before Tetsuko could reply, the tail came at them like a whip, coiling around the blade.

“Shit! Become the sharper can become!”

It won’t make a difference if you can’t swing me!

“Just do it!”

As the soul in the sword folded her energy to make her edge sharper, the dog pulled the tail. Along with it, came Tetsuko, and Faela who didn’t let go of the weapon. As they fell, the animal opened her mouth, ready to crunch both human and weapon.

Faela pulled another thin dagger from the inside of her clothes and threw it. Though she missed the dog’s eyes, it exploded near the ear. It wasn’t enough for a serious wound, but it was enough to make the anima close his eyes for a moment and turned the head.

The instant the neck was exposed, the swordswoman brought Tetsuko down, slicing the head cleaning as the woman returned to the ground.

Even without the head, the animal remained standing. The next moment, the legs trembled and she fell, the blood spilling from her wound.

“Not bad for a butter knife,” Faela joked, panting and wincing from the ungracious and hard landing.

Tetsuko wasn’t listening though. She was too busy tasting the dog’s blood. This is the one, Faela.

“What?”

Her blood is corrupted just as the worshipers. There’s a strange energy that feels a bit different, but the blood tastes the same as the ancient Celeste.

The swordswoman clutched her hand harder around Tetsuko’s handle. “So they’re involved,” she muttered. “Things will only get worse from now on…”